Handbag



G. B. HUME July 2, 1957 HANDBAG Filed Dec. 2, 1954 /NVENTOR R B. HUME A 7' TORNEY United States Patent f' HANDBAG Gertrude B. Hume, West Newton, Mass.

Application December 2, 1954, Serial No. 472,609

7 Claims. (Cl. 150-37) The present invention relates to a ladys: handbag and purse and more particularly is concerned with a handbag of this character wherein in addition to the principal conventional opening into the handbag there is provided an' auxiliary opening in the side'l of theA bag which gives:` access to a coin purse onV the inside of the bag.

An object. of the invention: is to provide a handbag, having a change purse therein, wherein coins can conveniently be inserted into and removed from the coin purse without opening the handbag.

Another object is to provide such a' handbag wherein the closure of the auxiliary opening swings outwardly to provide a tray or shelf for the reception of coins to be inserted inr or removed'from` the coin purse'.

Another object isV to provide such a handbag wherein the closure of the auxiliary opening is arranged to lift the coin-s which are contained in the change purse so that theyare readily accessible tothe user.V

Another object ofthe invention is to `provide a handbag of the described character, wherein the closure of the auxiliary opening whenin open position provides a tray on to which coins from the purse are discharged by opening movement of the closure.

A further object is to: provide a fitting which may be separately manufactured and sold to the handbag manufacturersV toV be incorporated by them in handbagst'o accomplish some or all of thefforegoing objects.

Other and further objects andadvantages of the invention will -be apparent to those skilled in the art and will appear from the following description of particular presently preferred embodiments of my invention, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a. front elevation` of the handbag showing the auxiliary opening in closed position;

Fig. 2 is asimilar front elevation but with the auxiliary opening in open position;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the handbag with the rear wall of the bag broken away to reveal the purse and show its relationship to the interior of the bag;

Fig. 4 is a vertical mid-section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View of a Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line 66, Fig. 4, through the lower portion. of the purse and theclosure for the auxiliary opening;l

Fig.. 7 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 5` but showing' a modiiication of the auxiliary closure andy its' `support;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view partly broken away illustrating the hinged connection between the closure and the frame in which it is supported.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a modification, and

Fig. 10 is a detail view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating a further modication.

Referring to the drawing, my invention is incorporated in a handbag Z which in general construction may be of any desired form having the usual opening 4 at its top portion or 2,797,719 iatented July 2, 1957 whereby the bag may be opened for access to its con tents. The bag includes a front wall 6, to be referred to hereinafter, and may have a strap 8 if desired.

Within the handbag adjacent to the front wall 6 is a coin purse 10 of generally conventional construction including the usual metal frame 12 providing an opening in the top and closed by the ball clasp 14.

According to my invention the wall of the purse which lies against the front wall 6` of the bag is provided with an opening which may be of rectangular form as shown coinciding with an opening of similar size and shape in the front wall 6. The purse is fastened to the front wall of the bag -with these openings aligned to provide a passageway `from within the purse to the outside of the bag, in any desired manner as by stitching or cementing. In the arrangement selected for` purposes of illustration I provide a frame 16 lying within and surrounding the opening. This frame may `be made ofl any suitable material such as brass, or other metal, or a moldableplastic composition. The frame is of channel shape in cross-section, as Ishown, with the adjacent wall portions of the front wall of the purse andthe front wall 6 of the handbag received within the channel to secure, or further secure, the purse to the bag. This frame may if desired extend completely around the periphery of the opening as shown in Fig. 1, or it may extend' only partly around the opening. For example, the lower horizontal portion of the frame shown: in Fig. l may be` omitted, as shown in Fig. 9.

In accordance with the invention I provide aclosure for the passageway through the `purse and handbag walls whichtis disposed to swing about a horizontal axis from an open to aclosed'p'osition and is provided with a portion thereof which extends'within the bag and below the opening. The upper portion of the closure moves outwardly in its opening movement and as' it moves outwardly the lower portion withinthe bag causes the coins which are within the purse to be raised. The-closure'rnay beso proportioned as'to raise the-coins to the point at which they' slide or fall through the opening to be received on the inner face of the closure member as it lies in a position approximating thehorizontal when in its open position.

Referring now to the particular embodiment of this closure shownhereinfor purposes of illustration and referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 8, a plate 18 of metal or plastic, or other suitable material lis pivoted on. a hinge pin 20 near the lower edge of the frame 16 and so that its upper portion may lie within the opening of the frame providing a closure therefor. The pin 20 extends at each end into an opening in the side' of the frame I6 so that the pin is supported on the frame. The openings in the frame 16 for the reception of the ends of pin 20 may be in. the form of slots 1.7 extending some distance up the sides of` the frame so that the closure can `be pulled upwardly during its opening movement. It will be understood that each slot 17 may be made shorter or longer than as shown, and indeed may be so short as to constitute merely a' circular opening just large enough to receive an end of the pin 20;

The plate 18 extends downwardly and inwardly beyond the pivot point at 20 to provide a coin lifting portion 18. As` shown in. Fig. 10, the coin lifting portion 18 may be disposed on theinside of the purse` so that it will, upon opening of the closure, move upwardly within the purse to lift the coins. Alternatively, the portion 18 may be fastened to the lower portion of the purse, either inside or outside the purse, so that it lifts the entire bottom portion of the purse. Preferably, however, the portion 18 is disposed outside the inner wall of the purse, either lying between a lining of the purse and the outer wall of the purse, or else lying between the purse and a separate wall fastened to the outside of the purse. Referring to 3 Figs. 5 and 6, the portion 18 is shown extending freely without attachment into a pocket formed between the front wall 22 of the purse and a separate layer of material 24, stitched -as at 26, to the said front wall.

A gussett 27 may, if desired, be provided at each side of the closure 18. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, such gussets serve not only to limit the outward and downward movement of the closure 18 -but also provide side walls for the closure when the closure is open, in effect forming a tray on which coins may be Vplaced for insertion into the purse or onto which coins may slide or fall from within the purse. In addition, or alternatively, the closure 18 if desired may be provided with a low rim 19 around some or all of its edges, extending upwardly from the closure when it is in open position, to aid in retaining coins on the open closure.

The outer face of the closure may be covered with layer or layers of a facing material 28, for example, with a layer of material matching the material forming the outer front wall 6 of the bag.

The closure is provided on its upper edge with a spring catch 30 for engagement with the frame 16 to retain the closure in closed position. In the form shown this catch comprises a yspring metal clip riveted at 32 to the closure 18 and its decorative facing 28.

In Fig. 7 is shown a modification wherein the closure (corresponding to the closure 18) having a coin lifting portion 40 is secured to the bag by means of a hinge formed from a sheet material. In this modification the frame for the auxiliary opening is formed from two parts, an outer plate 44, having an inwardly turned lip 46 defining an opening in the plate, and an inner plate 48 having a similar inwardly turned lip 50. The lips 46 and 50 intert so that the plates 44 and 48 may be pressed together over the layers of material forming the purse wall 22 and the bag wall 6 (with its liner or stiffener 6 if present), and secured together as is well known in the art, to fasten together the `several layers of material. The hinge for the closure 40 is provided by a sheet material 52, such as fabric, leather or plastic, overlying and secured to the outer face of the closure and extending below the tbottom of the opening, where it passes between the two frame plates 44 and 48 and is secured by them. It will be understood that either or both the modified frame and modified hinge may be employed with the construction shown in the other figures, and that the gussets 27 may be omitted or included in any modification as desired.

I claim:

1. A ladys combined handbag and purse comprising a bag having a wall with an opening therein, a purse within said bag and having a wall with an opening therein, means for fastening together said bag and purse walls with said openings aligned to provide a passageway from within the purse to the outside of the bag, and a closure member `for said passageway mounted on said bag for pivotal opening and closing movement, and means operated by -said closure in its opening movement for discharging coins from said purse through said opening.

2. A ladys combined handbag and purse comprising a bag having a wall with an opening therein, a purse within said bag and having a wall with an opening therein, means for fastening together said bag and purse walls -with said openings aligned to provide a passageway from within the purse to the outside of the bag, and a closure member `for said passageway mounted on said bag for '4 pivotal opening and closing movement about a horizontal axis intermediate the upper and lower ends of the closure, a portion of said closure member being disposed within said bag below said openings.

3. A ladys combined handbag and purse comprising a -bag having a wall with an opening therein, a purse vwithin said bag and having a wall with an opening therein, means for fastening together said bag and purse walls with said openings aligned to provide a passageway from within the purse to the outside of the bag, a frame at least partly surrounding said openings, and a closure member yfor said passageway mounted on said frame for pivotal opening and closing movement, a portion of said closure member being disposed within said bag below said openings in position to lift the contents of the purse as the closure member is opened.

4. A ladys combined handbag and purse comprising a bag having a wall with an' opening therein, a pulse within said bag and having a wall with an opening therein, a frame at least partly surrounding said openings and fastening said purse to said bag with said openings aligned to provide a passageway from within the purse to the outside of the bag, and a closure member for said passageway mounted intermediate its upper and lower ends on said `frame for pivotal opening and closing movement, a portion of said closure member being disposed within said bag Ibelow said openings.

5. A ladys combined handbag and purse comprising a bag having a wall with an opening therein, a purse within said lbag and having a wall with an opening therein, a frame at least partly surrounding said openings and fastening said purse to said bag with said openings aligned to provide a passageway from within the purse to the outside of the bag, and a closure member for said passageway mounted intermediate its upper and lower ends on said `frame for pivotal opening and closing movement about a horizontal axis, the lower portion of said closure member being disposed within said bag below said openings in position to lift the contents of the purse as the closure member is opened.

6. A fitting for use in the manufacture of ladies handbags, comprising a frame having side and end members surrounding an opening through the frame, a closure member pivotally mounted on -said side members within the opening in said frame member, said closure member having a portion adapted to close the opening in said frame member and another portion extending beyond one end member of said frame.

7. In a fitting for use in the manufacture of ladies handbags, a lframe comprising a plate having an opening therethrough and a second plate having an opening therethrough and fastened to said first-mentioned plate, and a closure member longer than said openings pivotally `fastened intermediate its length to one of said plates within the opening thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 268,296 Rowley Nov. 28, 1882 512,565 Read Ian. 9, 1894 894,510 Levy July 28, 1908 1,936,358 Herold Nov. 21, 1933 2,130,502 Lindemann Sept. 20, 1938 2,428,267 Doppelt Sept. 30, 1947 2,464,350 Schmidt Mar. 15, 1949 

